Forever Rei- Chapter 3
by Xenon1
Summary: Has Shinji found someone to fight for? Chapter 3 is up!


Forever Rei

Chapter 3

As Rei was walking back to her apartment after synchronization tests a few days after the 5th Angel's attack on Tokyo-3, her mind wandered to thinking about the Third Child, Shinji Ikari.

"He seems quite… afraid of life. He pilots the Eva for no reason at all."

Her mind flashed to when she first saw Shinji, even though the whole situation was quite a blur to her due to the pain she was in after fighting the angel in Unit 00. She remember his reaction to seeing her wheeled into the cage and how he had expressed concern for her after the angel had attacked the headquarters itself. How he actually decided to pilot Unit 01 so she wouldn't, even though he knew he would probably get hurt.

"He acted like the Commander after the failed activation test."

She thought about how he actually tried to speak to her, to get to know her a little bit as a friend. Not a pilot. He seemed genuinely interested in her, much different from the rest of their classmates who were seemingly quite afraid of her. Why? She never was interested in how other people behaved or lived out their lives, but Shinji's actions towards her made her think.

"Why does he act like this around me? Everyone else just leaves me alone, but he… wants to know me."

She remembered the time she slapped him.

"He insulted the Commander." She thought. "But, he has his reasons to say things about his father."

The time she caught him staring at her in class when he thought she wasn't looking. How he jerked his head back to the front once she moved her gaze towards him. The slight blush she had when she saw that…

More importantly, the most recent battle with an angel. 

"Would I have protected him with my Eva had I not been ordered to?"

"Yes… I would."

She recalled how he pried the door to her entry plug to reach her and see if she was okay or not. How he called out her name to wake her.

How he cried for her.

How he asked her to smile for him.

No one had ever done that for her in her entire life. She was confused as to why he was acting like that. Rei didn't understand why anyone would cry for her, since no one had before. 

She smiled for him that night.

She had smiled for the Commander before, but that was in response to praise for piloting. This… this was more emotional. It meant more to her. Shinji actually asked for it. He wanted to see her smile.

Once she reached her apartment, the occurance between her and Shinji when he dropped off her NERV badge came to mind. The way he apologized after he got up and how he was in a state of shock when he saw her coming out of the shower.

How she felt when he fell on top of her. The feeling she had as his hands covered her bare skin.

She hadn't felt that in her entire life. It startled her but yet made her feel… strange.

"But why? Why does he act like this towards me?"

After thinking about this for a while, she discovered that she really didn't care **why** he acted like this. Just that he did.

She discovered she actually liked having the younger Ikari show attention for her.

Very much so.

--

Now, Rei Ayanami isn't known for her emotion at all. So, she really didn't act upon what she discovered that day. Not entirely. So to most people, she would remain the same. But around Shinji, she decided to act... a little more openly.

But deep inside, she held a certain amount of emotion for the boy.

And sometime… that emotion had to be released.

--

Author's Notes: Okay, you guys might be wondering why Rei is acting like this. Well, I'll tell you this.

She's my Rei and I'll do what I want with her. =P {grin}

It might seem weird in the context of the series for her to think like this, but I decided this would be the best way for her to develop feelings for Shinji.

I know this seems a lot like the prologue to Rakna's "The One I Love Is…" and I know that. =) I felt that was a great way to get the ball rolling. But don't think she will act all close to Shinji. No. That would completely change her. She'll still be as calm as she is… just a little bit more open to him.

Oh and for Rei fighting the 3rd Angel… she did. In the manga. =)


End file.
